Child of Two Worlds
by Elizabeth Marion
Summary: Maria Antonia is a milkmaid from the countryside who comes to Paris with hopes of stardom and fame.She befriends a certain phantom and endures many tragedies.One will bring her and the phantom together and they will work to mend eachother's broken hearts.
1. Chapter 1: Farm Life

**Disclaimer: I don't own Phantom of the Opera or anything else for that matter (kidding of course).**

**I've just updated the chapter with breaks (I'm a ditz sometimes, I know) I apologize to anyone who read the chapter and didn't understand a thing that was going on. I just started using this edit thingie (very descriptive Liz :( ) so...yah. Once again I'm sorry.

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_**Child of Two Worlds**_

_Chapter One_

I stared out my small window to the empty world before me. The sky was gray with not a single hint of sunlight within it. There was a murder of crows perching on the branches of the larch tree under which my parents were wed twenty years ago. The crows' caws were the only sound I could hear for miles. I tried to avoid their eyes but I knew their black marble eyes were on me.

My father stomped out of the barn with a pail of milk in his hand, heading toward the house and towards me. I knew that soon enough he would yell at me for not milking our cow myself. Already I could hear him grumbling my name and cursing my existence. I didn't care though. I didn't care much for anything anymore. Aubert had cursed my name since the moment I entered this miserable bleak world.

I heard the loud angry slamming of the back door and my father's voice at the bottom of the stairs.

"Maria! Get yourself down here girl!" he bellowed.

"Maria Antonia," I muttered as I rose from my bed. "My name is Maria Antonia."

I made my way to the foot of the stairs as a convict might walk to his death; slowly, reluctantly, and still considering if he should make a run for it. At the top of the stairs I slowly looked down at my father who glared angrily up at me.

"Well don't just stand there like an idiot girl! Get down here now!"

I tumbled down the stairs to stand before the domineering figure of my father. I stared into my father's stormy gray eyes, but quickly looked away. He always had the power to stare straight into a person's soul and I didn't want to watch him stare into mine.

"Why did you _choose_ not to milk the cow this morning?"

I stared down at my thin feet. They were black from all the dirt I moved through and there was grime between my toenails. But I'd rather look at them then at my enraged father.

"Answer me!" he barked.

"I was too tired to milk the cow!" I burst out before I could think otherwise.

"Ya were too tired to! Listen here _your majesty_, your mother and I do a lot around this farm and so should you!"

I looked my father dead in the eye, which surprised both him and I. "Yvette's not my mother. Only Mother's my mother" I said in a dark and cold tone.

"Listen you bitch, Yvette has been a better mother to you than that whore who brought ya into this world! Now you best be treating her with a great measure of respect, or I'll throw ya out of this house before ya even know it! Ya understand!"

I begrudgingly nodded and my father stiffened.

"Good, now go get us some eggs from the coop. And don't ever even consider not doing your duties again or else you're out!"

I nodded and quickly moved out of my father's sight. I grabbed the egg basket on the kitchen table and flew out the door. I didn't stop running until I reached the chicken coop. Rapid tears were blurring my vision, but I wouldn't cry. I _couldn't_ cry. I hadn't cried since that terrible day twelve years ago. I shook my head violently trying to shake the past out of my mind. I didn't want to think about that day. I never wanted to think about that day again.

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"This porridge tastes like horse manure," my father bellowed at me from across the kitchen table. "What the 'ell did ya put in this girl!" He then proceeded to spit the porridge onto the floor. 

"She's slipping Aubert," my stepmother told my father as they leaned into each other like dark minded conspirators. "She's to busy thinking about men to do as her betters tell her. Soon she'll become just like her mother and then where will that lead us." She sneered my way, her rotting teeth making my stomach churn.

My father looked me up and down. "I should have known you'd turn out this way. After all we've done for you." He violently threw his bowl of porridge at me. It hit my breast with a great force. I suppressed a cry of pain but my stepmother cackled madly. My father soon joined in, both of them always taking humor in my humiliation.

"Aaahh get your arse to bed girl, and don't try getting up to eat cause I'll know. Now get outta here!"

I quickly left my seat at the table before they could humiliate me any further. I stamped up the stairs and burst into my room. I flopped on my straw bed with a sigh of relief and exhaustion. Once again my eyes watered with tears, but I _wouldn't _cry. Through my heavy breathing, I could here Aubert and Yvette discussing me in the kitchen.

"She'll make fools of us Aubert, we must throw her out."

"But the town will scorn us Yvette. They'll think we're being cruel, they'll think we have no good reason for getting rid of her."

"Well if she stays, the town will turn away from us, they'll think we are alright with housing a slut. We need her out Aubert!"

"I understand, my love. I'll tell her to pack her bags as soon as she makes breakfast."

"See that you do Aubert," Yvette muttered.

My breathing became faster. I was furious and yet somehow uplifted. _Throw me out Father? Your own daughter? Fine, I don't care. That's right, I DON'T care. But it will be I that gets to leave this hell on earth and it will be I that will succeed in this life. And you will not throw me out Aubert and Yvette! I will not award you that pleasure. For I will leave by my own will. As God is my witness, I will not award you with my humiliations anymore!

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**Ok, that was the first chapter of my really sad and cheap first fanfic. No, no, please read and review. Healthy criticism is accepted but _only if it's healthy_. **


	2. Chapter 2: Lady Dawn

**Disclaimer: Since I am extremely lazy, see the first chapter.**

**This is a somewhat long and boring chapter, so I apologize if you feel like throwing yourself out the window. And believe me when I say this is all adding up to the Phantom, so please give me a bit of patience.

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_**Child of Two Worlds**_

_**Chapter Two**_

_I gazed up at bright blue sky above me, clouds once in awhile interrupting the setting. The summer breeze breathed through the trees of the forest to where I lay. The birds were chirping, the lambs were joyfully frolicking and I was truly happy. I slowly closed my young eyes and drifted into a dreamless slumber._

_"Maria Antonia?" a soft female voice whispered into my ear. "Maria Antonia, wake up mon petite l'un."_

_I smiled secretly to the ground and rolled onto my side away from the voice. "Fine, have it your way" the voice said. I suddenly felt soft hands tickling the back of my neck, my shoulders and my feet. I burst into shrieks of giggles and rolled frantically away from my mother. I paused to gaze at her face, her vivid smile, her bright green eyes, her golden curls and the dusting of freckles on her rosy cheeks. I then resumed rolling across our meadow, laughing all the while._

_"Oh look, your getting your beautiful dress all dirty!" my mother breathed. "Your father will be furious!"_

_"I don't care what Papa thinks!"_

_My mother gave out a soft breathless laugh. "Don't say such things mon petite. Of course you do. Now come over here and we'll try to clean up your dress before Papa comes home."_

_I eagerly ran over to stand before my mother. She vigorously swept her hands over my faded blue cotton dress, quietly fretting over my father's reaction over my appearance. Suddenly she stopped moving her hands, intertwined her fingers around my skirt and let out a great gasp. _

_"What is it Mama?" I asked with concern. Getting no response, I looked over my shoulder at her. She gazed past me to the far end of the meadow, astonishment evident on her youthful face._

_"Mama?"_

_My mother let out a light-hearted breath. "Well I'll be. It's __Étienne Rieux. What a fine surprise."_

I awoke in a cold sweat, my breathing irregularly hard and fast. The tears that never seemed to completely leave my side made their way into my vision once again.

I gazed out my window as I always did when the dreams visited me. The moon was full with a misty white coloring, a perfect difference against the black night sky. I let out a heavy, then another and then another.

"Oh Mama, what shall I do?" I pleaded to the sky. "I don't know if I can go through with this. I need your guidance. I need a sign."

I naively concentrated on the outside world as if my mother's image would somehow appear in the stars and speak to me. But nothing happened. Nothing ever happened. My mother was gone and I'd never see her again.

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It was Lady Dawn that brought me courage. I watched the sun rise as if for the first time. Everything seemed new to me today, for today was the day that I could start all over again. 

I had contemplated what I would do with my newfound freedom. I obviously couldn't stay in the village near our farm. I would not be welcome as is no woman who wishes to live on her own.

I wanted to go to Paris, the city of opportunity, the city of fame and fortune, the city my mother had told me about as I lay in wait for sleep.

The farm rooster crowed announcing the arrival of morning. It was time for me to leave.

I sat up slowly in my bed as not to wake Aubert and Yvette and removed my pillow. Underneath it lay a large lock of golden hair with a light sky blue ribbon wrapped around it. I held the lock before my eyes and grasped a lock of my own hair next to it.

The golden hair was much more lively than my chestnut brown hair and the lock was silky and smooth while my own hair was grim, frizzy and in bad need of a wash.

I removed all the straw from inside my pillow case and lovingly placed the golden lock inside. I then crept over to the wall that held a single thing on it, a rusty old hook with my only two dresses hung up on it.

I inspected the only clothes I had had for the past three years with distaste. They were dull and grey like life on this farm. I stuffed them aggressively in the pillowcase. I surveyed my small room for anything else of value to me. My eyes fell upon a small glint under my bed. Mon Dieu, I had nearly forgotten my money box! I grabbed it viscously as if it would disappear if I didn't.

I gazed at my small pine box long fully, as I had with my lock of hair. There were pretty pink and blue flowers painted around the box while on the top, the words _'To Little Maria Antonia Laurent Rieux'_ were carved into the wood. I opened the box to find my eighteen francs were still inside. I stroked them gently, each one of those francs, some of which I had had since before I could remember, some of which I had had since I was a little girl and some of which I had stolen from Yvette before I knew what was good for me.

I closed my little box and placed in the pillow case which was already full from my two dresses. I twisted the ends of the opening of the case and tied a large knot closing the case to all other things.

I stood up and made my way to the door frame of my room. My room had never actually had a door while I was alive, my father had never really believed that I deserved privacy. Being a young woman as I was, I had to sleep in my day clothes, rather than sleep in the nude and change out in the farm before I milked the family's cow.

I glanced one more time at my room. The bed with a pile of straw lying on it, the single window overlooking the farm and our beautiful french countryside, the single nail, the white washed walls, the moss on the ceiling. I couldn't honestly tell myself that I would never think and miss this room or even this house again. I had spent my whole life, my whole existence here. My father's family had lived here as had my grandfather's. Three generations of Laurents had lived under this roof and by breaking a bond with this house, I was breaking a bond with them as well. But eternal bonds were meant to be broken.

I said my final goodbye to the room that had protected me from the terrors of the night for seventeen years and crept down our creaky stairs to the kitchen.

The remains of the porridge from last night were spilt on the floor along with Aubert and Yvette's bowls and spoons. The candle on the table had not been blown out, resulting in candle wax stuck to candle holder and on the table. There was a large bottle of whiskey lying against the table's leg, its contents empty in the bottle and 'emptied' on the floor. I had no knowledge of whether Aubert and Yvette were sleeping in their bed or flat on their backs in mud.

I caught sight of a whole loaf of bread, never used from last nights supper. I mischievously grabbed it and tucked it under my arm. If Aubert and Yvette wanted breakfast, they could make it themselves for once.

I walked out the back door with my head held high and without a second glance or thought. I was through with this farm, this world, this living. I made my way around the house to the front. I walked across our lifeless garden and onto the main road. The road that would lead me to Paris. I paused and gazed back long fully back at my home.

_"Goodbye my beloved land. You have been my prison and my shelter for all these years. Perhaps in this lifetime, we shall meet once more." _I drew a last mental picture of my home in my mind, hoping it would never fade with age or memory. I then turned my back and began my journey to Paris.

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**Okay, let me know what you think. I am so looking forward to writing the next chapter since I have nothing better to do with my time. Well besides doing homework, but who wants to do that?**


	3. Chapter 3: The Journey Begins

**All right, this is an extremely short chapter but it's a start in the right direction. I typed this when I was very very tired so it might have some mistakes, so please let me know if I've made any. Really sorry for taking my bloody time but I was feeling very confused about where the story was going (I experience writer's block _a lot_. That and exams and other stuff has made me very busy, but I am now back to writing, so without further ado, chapter three….

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_**Child of Two Worlds**_

_**Chapter Three**_

The rays of the sun beat down mercilessly upon my backside. The insane buzzing of insects swarm inside my head. The earth seemed like the humid fireplace I had cooked over every day for years. Mother Nature would not spare a traveller like me a cold breeze.

I didn't know how long I had been walking. It seemed as if the world had stopped completely and I was the only living creature not frozen in time.

I savagely broke off a small piece of the stale loaf of bread and thrust it into my dry mouth. It tasted like soil and stuck to the walls of my throat. But it was the only food I had, so I ate it as greedily as a king might eat roast duck.

My head and heart begged me to stop and rest but my feet dragged on, too determined to pause or even slow down. As I continued to trek to Paris, I would come upon the sight of farmers surveying their summer crop's growth or wives feeding their infants or children playing among the meadows. The sight of one young golden haired boy would always hold a memory for me. He was riding on a black pony in circles around a woman who looked to be his mother while she held the creature's long reins in her small effeminate hands.

"Don't ride to fast on him Paul" she called out.

"Of course not Maman" he called back.

" Don't bear your weight on him. He's still a bit weak."

"Of course I won't Maman."

I watched the boy named Paul and his mother for longer than a normal person should have. There was something about Paul that carried his image in my head. I longed to just walk over to the mother and become her daughter. I longed to be the boy's older sister. I wanted them as a family. I wanted their blissful simplistic life; free of the cares I now carried.

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As I was walking later on that day, I still could not remove the boy's likeness from my thoughts. He seemed so familiar, so sickeningly familiar. But I had not known any children of his likeness. I had hardly known any other children at all, and the ones I did know were relatives of my father. But the Paul boy seemed so familiar, but familiar for no apparent reason, if that made sense to anyone.

I walked for many more hours, hours that seemed like days. The road was forever twisting to adapt to France's many hills. Occasionally I would come across the way of other humans. I had rather tiredly walk past an elderly couple lounging in the sun in their rickety rocking chairs in the front of their farmhouse sometime in the late afternoon. I politely sent a small smile in their direction but otherwise refused to stop.

"Good afternoon, Mademoiselle," the man called after me.

"Good afternoon" I attempted to call back, but the lack of use in the past hours had made my voice go quiet and croaky.

"It's getting late Mademoiselle. Young girls like you should not be wandering the roads without a respectable escort!" the woman called after me in an authoritative voice. To that I gave no reply.

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The sun was beginning to set when I finally gave in to my weakness and searched for a place to rest. I didn't want to leave the road side, yet I wanted to be as out of sight as possible to the naked eye. That way no one would notice me and no one would take pity on the helpless homeless girl.

When the sun had set a dark yellowish glow on the land, I had found a large oak tree with a great shadow facing away from the road to call my resting place. I flopped onto the ground and nestled weakly into the trees bark. I buried the last small remaining piece of the loaf of bread underneath my arm. I was becoming incoherent and faint. My eyes were becoming heavier and it was becoming harder to do anything. I heard a dog bark, the snap of a twig nearby and then the world went black.

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**I know, I know "What kinda update is that? The chapter is barely eight hundred words!" Well the good news is I have much more to write, I just wanted to give you something new. And don't worry, I'm almost getting to Erik, I'm almost there. Please don't shoot! Anyway, I'd loved to hear what you think about Maria Antonia's obsession with the farm boy Paul and any other comments or anything is appreciated. See you soon!**


	4. Chapter 4: Remy

_**Here it is: chapter four! Finally finished, ladies and gents. More to come in a short while! Want to also thank all of those who have reviewed my work so far. Your words have been very helpful to me and I'm glad you're enjoying the ride so far! Thanks again!

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_**Child of Two Worlds**_

_**Chapter Four**_

_"Why __Étienne__ Rieux, why on Earth do you come here?" She shouted as she approached him._

_"I couldn't stand to not see you this day my love." He whispered to her as she slided into her arms._

_"Not here," my mother whispered back. "Not in-front of my daughter. She won't understand."_

_Étienne looked over my mother shoulder at me. He smiled as he turned his attention back to my mother._

_"Is Aubert near?"_

_"No and thank God he is not, or else he would murder us both if he saw me in your arms."_

_"For God's sake Felicite, come away with me," Étienne pleaded desperately. "We'll go inside and gather a few things for ourselves. We'll take Maria Antonia with us." _

_"No Étienne, please-"_

_"We'll go to Calais, and catch a ship to England or to America. But we must leave now, or we may never leave this place!"_

_My mother burst into tears as she withdrew from his arms and rushed over to me. She knelt down so she and I were at the same eye level._

_"Do you deny yourself true happiness. Does your child not deserve a father who will love her as I do?"_

_"What is going on Maman?" I asked. "Why are we leaving our home. Won't Papa be angry if we do?"_

_"Please, not now Poppette." My mother begged me._

_"Felecite, we will have to leave sometime soon, my-"_

_"But not today,"she said calmly as she rose and turned to Étienne. He came to her and they shared a passionate kiss. "Perhaps in a few days, but not today."_

_I watched the scenario in horror. Maman wasn't supposed to kiss anyone, except Papa, though she rarely did anymore. _

_Maman broke from their kiss and approached me. She held her hand out to me and I lovingly took it in mine. "Come Poppette, we must take a walk." She said quietly._

_We walked across the meadow and into the woods that surrounded it. As we walked, I could hear Étienne call out after us; "I shall come for you, my love and your child in a week! And if I come across Aubert, I shall give him no less than he deserves!"

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Ccccccooo, ccccccoooooo, ccccccooooo, cccccrrrrroooooaaaaakkk, hhhhhooooo, hhhhhooo. These were the sounds I awoke to. I could feel the tiny legs of the insects of the night crawl around my arms, my breasts, my thighs.

I slowly opened my eyes and stared toward the sky. The sky was a darkish blue shade with grayish blue fluffy clouds racing across the world. It must have been near dawn. The moon was faintly visible through the clouds. A faint breeze floated through the trees, and I shivered under my wool coat.

My wool coat? I carried with me no wool coat. I stared at it quizickly, before I threw it off. There was some rustling close to me and two rugged, scratched masculine hands placed the coat back over me.

"It will keep you warm tonight," a man soothed. "You will need as much strength as possible for your journey."

With horror, I raised my head to come face to face with a man, not much older than I, with light blue eyes and reddish blond hair, smiled at my shocked expression. I screamed and leaped up, searching vainly for my bread. It had completely vanished from my sight.

I stared accusingly at the man with the coat. "Where did you put my bread? I know you stole it, now give it back."

The arrogant idiot just gave me a fool's smile, as if my anger was more amusing than frightening. "What, no thank you?" He asked mockingly as he pulled the coat over his own shoulders. "No medal for the hero?"

I smirked. "Hero? What makes _you_ a hero?"

"Well I was watching over you. It's not exactly wise that a girl-" he uncomfortably cleared his throat, "with your likeness sleep alone in such a dangerous surrounding. So I'm keeping you safe. I'm your guardian angel, so to speak."

I looked away, setting my sight on the gravel road. The road lead to my new life. I only wished that the end of the road was in my sight. I stared back at the man and folded my arms. He mockingly folded his.

"Where's my bread monsieur?"

He laughed. "What, that disgusting loaf of garbage. With maggots and ants and worms crawling around, and taking it as their own. Is that what you call food?"

I gave him a cold stare. "That monsieur is the only food I have until I earn some money. Now where is it?"

"I threw it away." He said matter-of-factly and gestured to the forest. "It's probably somewhere in the branches of the trees where it belongs. I would have given it to my horse" he then gestured to a gray horse, grazing nearby, it's reins tied to a tree, "but no creature deserves that waste of grain."

I let out a wail which startled both of us. "How could you? You had no right- That was my only food. I shall starve before I make it". Without another glance at him, I swiftly picked up my bag and started for the road. It wasn't long before I felt the man's hand roughly grab my arm.

"Now hang on mademoiselle. Where exactly is an unescorted lady such as your self going at an hour like this?"

I glared at him defiantly. "Paris." I then took another step before he pulled me back to face him.

"Why on earth do you want to go to Paris by yourself?" He inquired. "Doesn't your family want to go with you?"

I lowered my gaze before I replied in a low voice "I have no family monsieur."

His grasp on my arm softened as he placed his other on my shoulder. "Will you not rest awhile? Must you leave now?"

I nodded my head meekly. "I want to get to Paris as quickly as possible."

"Then let me take you."

I looked up into his bright smile, brighter than the dawn, his eyes which held no danger in them but only concern. "You? Take _me _to Paris?" I asked, wishing I could scoff at his so-called kindness. I stepped out of his grass. "But you are but a stranger and I am a virtuous maiden. How do I know you will not use me? It is very likely you will."

His smile didn't waver. "Well, I suppose you'll have to trust me, or die on this roadside of hunger and exhaustion."

This did make me scoff. "Die? Why I have ambition in me, which in itself will lead me there, and-"

"Ambition will not make food magically appear in your stomach nor on your grass plate." He said firmly. He then stared up into space and I followed his gaze. We both watched the clouds go by for what seemed like forever.

"Listen," the man sighed. "At least let me take you to Avignon. It is but a short distance by horse, but an even longer distance by foot."

I continued to stare at the sky while he continued. "I know a kindly innkeeper who always keeps an extra bed for me this time of the year. I'll take you there so you may have a proper rest and in the morning, you may choose to continue your journey alone or I can take you to Paris, free of hunger or ache."

I stared at him and considered his offer. It was true I did want a nice bed and something perhaps a bit nutritious to eat. But I could endanger myself by putting my life in his hands.

"Of course mademoiselle, if you doubt my honesty, you can go back to your bed of earth or begin your long walk, but I must warn you I will not leave your side till I know your safely in Avignon."

I tried to glare at him for harrassing me so, but I could not admit that I was touched by his concern. We gazed at eachother for a moment before I breathed "I know not your name Monsieur."

His grin widened. "Remy Dechaume. What's yours maiden?"

I returned his grin. "Maria Antonia."

Remy laughed. "What, no last name?"

"Aye, a last name have I," I said with a light heart and a glimpse at the sky. "But 'tis a name that comes from a man that loved me not." I looked proudly at Remy. "I shall take the name of a man that does."

Remy nodded. "Well, than Maria Antonia, will you let a poor mortal like me take the likes of you to Avignon, or do you prefer to walk among Mother Nature and I for the rest of your life?"

I smiled proudly in the distance of Avignon and Paris. "I've changed my mind. Monsieur Dechaume, I would appreciate it greatly if you would take me to Avignon so I may stay in your inn. I fear all this exhaustion has made my stubborness disappear."

"Gladly Mademoiselle." With that Remy took my hand and lead me swiftly to his saddled grey horse, he helped lift me onto the creature's back before he expertly leaped on behind me. Without him asking it of me, I quickly untied the reins from around the tree's thin bark. Remy wrapped his arms around my own and took the reins from my hands. I swiftly pressed my small bag against my chest.

"Are you ready Maria Antonia?" Remy asked from behind.

"Eagerly ready Remy." I replied with a slight yawn as I eased into his muscular chest.

One flick and the horse trotted in a circle around the field before he broke into a gallop and made for the road. We burst through the trees and onto the gravel trail and sped through the French countryside, leaving behind a thunderous sound to wake the forest from its lonely bird chirps and insect calls.

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**_Well, exciting chemistry between Maria Antonia and Remy. Much more between them and a certain phantom:) to come soon. Please read and review._**

_**Regards**_


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